September 1, 2019
Shamed in the Lunch Line
Cold PB&Js for students who can’t pay? Some states are saying no.
August 8, 2019
How Cities Are Bringing 911 Into the 21st Century
Community paramedicine is changing the way some places respond to health emergencies.
August 5, 2019
Lowering Out-of-Pocket Health Costs Isn't Easy. States Have Tried.
Congress is promising to tackle them this year. Can it succeed where states haven't?
August 1, 2019
Is Racism a Public Health Crisis?
One county thinks so.
July 25, 2019
The Drug Epidemic Is Landing More Kids in Foster Care Than Ever
The influx comes at a time when the foster care system is scrambling to adjust to major federal changes.
July 19, 2019
Is Porn a Public Health Crisis? 16 States Say Yes.
In just three years, more than a dozen states have passed resolutions declaring pornography a public health crisis. The research is more complicated.
July 16, 2019
Medicaid Work Requirements Struck Down in a 3rd State
The policy failed another court test, this time in New Hampshire. Despite the rulings, other states are moving forward with work requirements.
July 11, 2019
California Takes Obamacare to a New Level as the Law's Fate Looms
The state is restoring the individual mandate and making an unprecedented effort to help the middle class afford health insurance.
July 8, 2019
One State's Big Leap to Reduce Medicare and Medicaid's Out-of-Pocket Costs
Washington state is going further than any other to cover aging Americans' medical bills.
July 2, 2019
Many Students Are in Crisis. So Is America's School Counseling System.
Counselors say budget cuts have left them unable to respond to students’ mental health needs.
July 1, 2019
After Midterm Wins, Momentum for Medicaid Expansion Slows
Red-state voters supported it in the fall, but Republican lawmakers in other states are still hesitant.
June 27, 2019
How Trump's Plan to Redefine Poverty Would Impact Health Care and Food Stamps
The potential change in the federal poverty line would lower the number of people who qualify for social services by almost 1 million.
June 18, 2019
18 and On Your Own: A New Way to Ease the Transition From Foster Care
Aging out of the system brings tough challenges that states are trying to help young adults overcome.
June 17, 2019
Trump's Immigration Policies Could Take a Toll on Long-Term Care
Immigrants make up a quarter of the long-term care workforce, which struggles with high turnover. Without them, shortages could worsen and make it harder for people to age at home.
June 12, 2019
Who Should Approve Medical Vaccine Exemptions?
Amid concerns over "fake" exemptions, California is debating a bill that would make public health officials sign off on them like they do in other states. Doctors support the legislation, but the Democratic governor has criticized it.
June 3, 2019
Trump Offered States Obamacare 'Relief.' They Don't Want It.
Not a single state has applied for a State Relief and Empowerment Waiver that's meant to lower premiums. Why not?
June 3, 2019
Rising Funeral Costs Put Pressure on Local Governments
Funerals have become a luxury that many Americans can’t afford. Cities and counties are paying the price.
May 31, 2019
One City Invests in Child Care That Parents Can Actually Afford
More people are believed to be relying on family and friends to watch their kids. Minneapolis is helping to educate those informal providers.
May 22, 2019
Report: Babies Are More Likely to Die in States That Didn't Expand Medicaid
Infant mortality rates have dropped in expansion states and risen in nonexpansion states.
May 21, 2019
Public Housing Agencies Oppose HUD's Plan to Evict Immigrant Families
There's a problem with the Trump administration's proposal that Secretary Ben Carson defended before Congress on Tuesday. Local authorities don't want to enforce it.
May 17, 2019
California Set to Expand Health Care to More Undocumented Immigrants After Other States Fail
Gov. Gavin Newsom struck a deal with lawmakers over the weekend.
May 13, 2019
'Medicare for All'? How About 'Medicaid for More'?
On Monday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed the nation's first "public option" health insurance bill. Other states aren't far behind.
May 6, 2019
Most Police Still Don't Carry the Drug That Reverses an Overdose
Due to the high cost of naloxone, only a fraction of the nation’s police departments equip their officers with it.
May 1, 2019
Uncertainty Clouds States' Plans to Import Drugs From Canada
States are receiving mixed messages from the federal government and have unanswered questions about their plans to lower drug prices.
April 25, 2019
Cities Build Homeless Shelters for LGBT Youth
The population experiences homelessness at disproportionate rates.
April 24, 2019
Safe Drug Injection Sites Are Coming to America. Canada Has Had Them for Years.
These clinics have radically changed how addicts are treated and reduced opioid overdoses in other countries. But the U.S. cities trying to open one are facing intense pushback.
April 12, 2019
When Rural Hospitals Close, More Than Health Care Is Lost
At least 95 have closed their doors since 2010, and roughly a quarter of the ones left are at risk of shuttering.
April 10, 2019
Marital Rape Isn't Necessarily a Crime in 12 States
Minnesota and Ohio are weighing whether to repeal loopholes that make it legal to rape your spouse.
March 29, 2019
1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back for Physician-Assisted Suicide
New Jersey is the eighth state to approve "aid in dying" for terminally ill patients. But similar legislation was defeated in two other states.
March 28, 2019
Undeterred by Medicaid Rulings, States and Trump Advance Work Requirements
Even though a federal judge put the policy's legality in doubt, the Trump administration approved Utah's work requirement waiver on Friday. Meanwhile, Indiana already started phasing them in, and isn't stopping.
March 28, 2019
Poorest Expected to Lose Food Stamps First Under New Rules
The public comment period for the Trump administration's proposal ends Tuesday. Researchers say "hunger will likely increase" if it takes effect.
March 25, 2019
Does Raising the Minimum Wage Save Money on Social Services?
Yes, experts say, but an extra dollar or two an hour won't free low-income people from poverty altogether.
March 20, 2019
After GAO Abortion Report, States Dispute Findings and Defend Violations
The report found 14 states to be in violation of federal Medicaid law as it pertains to abortion coverage.
March 18, 2019
Vaccine Bills Make a Comeback Amid Measles Outbreak
As once-eradicated diseases return, more and more states are debating legislation that would make it harder, or easier, for parents to not vaccinate their kids.
March 6, 2019
For a Glimpse Into Trump's New Era of Title X, Look at Texas
Years before the Trump administration's family planning changes, the state of Texas cut funding from reproductive health clinics. Low-income women felt the impact the most.
March 4, 2019
Opioid Crisis and Syphilis Outbreaks Complicate Trump's HIV Plan
Unless the government gets both issues under control, public health experts say President Trump will never realize his goal of eradicating HIV.
February 27, 2019
The Federal Government Is Overhauling Foster Care. States Aren't Ready.
Everyone agrees that America’s foster care system needs reform. But some worry the new law may do more harm than good.
February 26, 2019
With Title X Funding at Stake, States Join the Legal Battle
Several states have vowed to sue the Trump administration over its new rules that will withhold federal funding from health clinics that provide abortion services or referrals.
February 25, 2019
To Fund Mental Health Care, States and Cities Raise Taxes
Denver may be the first major city where voters approved a tax increase for mental health services. Others have since followed.
February 15, 2019
Pass. Repeal. Repeat: The GOP Cycle of Defying Voters on Medicaid Expansion
In almost every state where ballot measures to expand Medicaid have passed, Republicans have tried to change the voter-approved laws.
February 1, 2019
States Push the Limits of Abortion Rights and Restrictions
While conservative lawmakers push "heartbeat" bills that could challenge Roe v. Wade in court, liberals are pushing legislation that allows late-term abortions during pregnancies with severe health complications.
January 31, 2019
Planning for Detention: How 2 States Help Immigrant Children Stay Out of Foster Care
The parents of at least a quarter of a million kids are at risk of deportation. In case that happens, lawmakers are adding protections -- with bipartisan support -- for the children left behind.
January 22, 2019
Criminal Justice Reform Paves the Way for Welfare Reform
Bipartisan support for reducing recidivism is driving most states to relax or lift the federal ban on drug felons receiving food stamps or cash assistance. Pennsylvania went the other way.
January 22, 2019
Does the Obamacare Case Represent a New Norm for States?
Historically, attorneys general rarely weigh in on health policy or go up against each other in the courtroom over it. Then came the Affordable Care Act.
January 15, 2019
If Shutdown Persists, Can States Fund Food Stamps and Welfare on Their Own?
States are scrambling to figure out how to fund the $4-billion-a-month food stamps program -- and whether to keep cash welfare going. Some say it's "probably not possible."
January 8, 2019
Doctors Don't Have to Tell Patients They're on Probation, Except in One State
California is the first state to require physicians to inform patients about their history of sexual misconduct, overprescribing medications, criminal convictions or substance abuse. Will others follow?
January 7, 2019
Abortion Policies and Cases to Watch in 2019
While the Trump administration mulls over the domestic "gag rule" and state requests to defund Planned Parenthood, abortion bills are making their way through legislatures and courts.
December 21, 2018
To Reduce Fatal Pregnancies, Some States Look to Doulas
New York is set to become the third state Medicaid program to cover pregnancy and birth coaches for low-income women as a way of lowering the maternal mortality rate.
December 18, 2018
With Child Homelessness on the Rise, What Can Schools Do?
"This is something that school districts are just going to have to plan for," says an education official in Washington state, which is proactively helping these students succeed and secure housing.
December 17, 2018
'Ripe for an Outbreak': Vaccine Exemptions Are on the Rise
By many measures, the anti-vaccination movement is thriving. But not in California, which removed nonmedical exemptions after measles spread throughout the state.
December 11, 2018
A Cautionary Tale for the Newly Elected
By the end of her first term, Hawaii state Rep. Lauren Matsumoto was hospitalized for exhaustion from trying to "do it all."
December 10, 2018
Feds Threaten Jail for Opening a Supervised Injection Site in America
The response from city officials: So what? They are pushing forward to open the controversial facilities that exist in other countries as a way to reduce drug overdoses.
December 7, 2018
As Protections for Pregnant Workers Falter in Congress, States Step Up
The 1978 federal pregnancy discrimination law hasn’t kept up with changes in the workplace, and efforts to reform it have failed.
December 4, 2018
Trump's New Immigration Rule Could Threaten Health Care for 6.8 Million Children Who Are U.S. Citizens
There is less than one week left of the public comment period for the proposed "public charge" rule.
November 30, 2018
Trump Administration Gives States New Ways to Rewrite Obamacare
Who gets health insurance subsidies, and how they're used, could drastically change if states take the federal government's guidance released on Thursday.
November 28, 2018
A Potential Turning Point in How Cities Treat the Homeless
A recent federal ruling is driving cities to revisit their local ordinances and methods of reducing homelessness.
November 26, 2018
How a Tiny Office in Ohio Is Transforming Health Care
Some say John Kasich is "the first governor who has been able to move the private sector to really participate in health-care reform."
November 20, 2018
Year of the Woman? Not So Fast.
An expert on women in politics dissects the 2018 midterms.
November 16, 2018
During Obamacare Enrollment in the Trump Era, States Face Greater Challenges
With less federal funding for outreach and advertising, and no more tax penalty for being uninsured, it's harder to convince people to sign up for health care.
November 13, 2018
'The Single Biggest Risk Factor in Getting Expelled Is Being a Preschooler'
Preschoolers are eight times, on average, more likely to get kicked out. States are starting to notice and intervene.
November 7, 2018
What the Midterms Mean for Health Care
The trajectory of health policy -- from Medicaid to abortion to soda taxes -- is set for change in some states.
November 7, 2018
Voters Just Say No to Tampon Taxes and Higher Cigarette Taxes
But on the issue of grocery taxes, voters in the Pacific Northwest were divided.
November 7, 2018
Red-State Voters Opt for Obamacare
In the first referendum on the law since Congressional Republicans tried and failed to repeal it, three out of four states voted to expand Medicaid.
November 7, 2018
Universal At-Home Care Measure Dies
In Maine, which has a greater share of older residents than any other state, voters rejected a ballot measure that would have provided free long-term care to anyone who needs it.
November 6, 2018
A Bad Night for Abortion Rights
Alabama and West Virginia voters preemptively criminalized abortion in case Roe v. Wade is struck down. But voters in Oregon defeated an attempt to restrict coverage.
November 6, 2018
Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Patient Limits for Nurses
Massachusetts would have been the second state with nurse-to-patient ratio requirements.
November 6, 2018
Pregnant, With Twins, on the Campaign Trail
Virginia state Rep. Jennifer Carroll Foy reflects on her first year in office and how she got there.
November 5, 2018
As Medicaid Work Requirements Spread, More Expected to Lose Health Care
Wisconsin just got approval to implement the new rule, and it will take effect in two other states in January. Meanwhile, more than 8,000 people have lost health insurance in Arkansas -- many who may comply with the rule but not know about it.
October 24, 2018
Treating Childhood Trauma Becoming a Public Policy Priority
States and cities are trying to use science to create better policies and programs. New federal foster care rules are complicating their efforts.
October 23, 2018
'This Was a Concerted Effort to, Dare I Say, Keep a Black Woman Down'
St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones reflects on her loss in the mayor's race and what she's been doing since.
October 10, 2018
Trump Administration Releases Final Rule for Legal Immigrants Using Public Benefits
It is not as strict as the leaked version but would still drastically limit what benefits they could use without risking green cards or permanent residency status.
October 9, 2018
'You Should Be at Home With Your Son'
Jackie Biskupski is the first openly gay elected official in Utah. But her sexual orientation isn't what her critics want to talk about.
October 8, 2018
This Is What Happens When a City Shuts Down Mental Health Clinics
This country has never had an effective public policy toward mental illness. In Chicago, things seem to be getting even worse.
October 3, 2018
Hookah Bars Face Public Health Crackdown
The lounges have often fallen through loopholes in local smoking bans. That's starting to change.
September 27, 2018
As Sexual Harassment Reforms Stall in Congress, Statehouses Take the Lead
Since the #MeToo movement started, state lawmakers have been taking more action than their federal counterparts to prevent and address workplace sexual harassment.
September 26, 2018
'There Will Be Evictions': New Smoking Ban Roils Public Housing's Oldest Residents
The rule, which is projected to save states $150 million a year, went into effect this summer.
September 19, 2018
How a Rural Region in the South Cut Its Infant Mortality Rate in Half
Babies die at higher rates in the U.S. than in poorer countries like Cuba and Poland.
September 6, 2018
New School Year, New Mental Health Lessons: 2 States Now Require It
States are starting to integrate mental health into their curriculum -- whether it's English or biology class.
September 4, 2018
How the Midterms Could Impact Medicaid
The elections come at a crucial time for health care.
August 30, 2018
America’s Coroners Face Unprecedented Challenges
Already short-staffed and underfunded, these offices have been hit hard by the opioid crisis.
August 29, 2018
'Section 8 Need Not Apply': States and Cities Outlaw Housing Discrimination
Landlords often reject applicants who use public assistance to help pay their rent.
August 21, 2018
With Opioids, Police Move Beyond Arrest-First Approach
Instead, they’re connecting drug abusers to substance treatment and other resources.
August 17, 2018
Trump's New Immigration Rule Could Hurt Obamacare Markets
Health policy experts say that the anticipated proposal could have negative ripple effects across the health-care system.
August 14, 2018
As States Battle Trump's Health Plan Changes, Signs of Obamacare Stability Show
Health policy experts worry that the controversial plans the Trump administration is pushing could undo some of the progress being made with Obamacare premiums.
August 8, 2018
On Health Matters, Cities Increasingly Go to Court
Cities used to stay out of courtroom battles over health. Not anymore. Their new Obamacare lawsuit represents a growing strategy.
August 6, 2018
On Drug Prices, Trump Administration Sends Mixed Messages
It has accepted one state's unprecedented proposal to lower the cost of prescriptions but rejected another's.
July 31, 2018
Religious Liberty Amendment Alarms Foster Care Advocates
Before it goes on vacation, the U.S. Senate could significantly cut child welfare funding in states with anti-discrimination policies protecting LGBT people who want to adopt or foster.
July 31, 2018
Hygiene Equity Goes Beyond Tampon Taxes
States are making products for women and children -- particularly those in prison or poverty -- more affordable.
July 26, 2018
Not Just Massachusetts: 10 Other States Have Abortion Bans Still on the Books
With the future of Roe v. Wade uncertain, the state is on the verge of repealing its 173-year-old law that criminalizes abortion. Similar efforts are underway in some other states.
July 24, 2018
'It's the New Form of Affordable Housing': More People Are Living in Their Cars
With rents on the rise, cities are grappling with a growing population of "vehicular homelessness" -- a way of life considered illegal in many places.
July 23, 2018
As Federal Medicaid Money Fades, How Are States Funding Expansion?
Many are tapping into tax revenues, making hospitals help, or adding work requirements and premiums to account for their increasing share of the expansion bill. In some, the debate is so heated that it's ended up in court.
July 13, 2018
A New Use for Food Trucks: Feeding Hungry Students in the Summer
Instead of making low-income kids travel for meals when school is out, Minneapolis is bringing the food to them.
July 11, 2018
Unions Could No Longer Get Medicaid Money Under New Trump Proposal
The federal government wants to roll back an Obama-era rule that lets some Medicaid payments go toward unions that represent home health care workers -- one of the fastest-growing and lowest-paid jobs.
July 10, 2018
Black, Female and Serving the Public: A Conversation With the Lawmaker Fighting Statehouse Discrimination
Ohio Rep. Emilia Sykes gets stopped by security trying to enter her place of work. She wants others to share their stories of prejudice.
July 5, 2018
After Medicaid Ruling, Most States Hit Pause But Some Proceed
Work requirements failed their first court test, in Kentucky. The case leaves the legality of other states' policies uncertain, but some of them are moving forward with business as usual anyway.
June 29, 2018
After Supreme Court Shake-Up, These State Abortion Laws Could Challenge Roe v. Wade
The retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy increases the likelihood of extreme restrictions passing legal scrutiny.
June 26, 2018
California Abortion Ruling Puts Other States' Laws in Doubt
Supreme Court justices on Tuesday sided with anti-abortion groups in a case over what information crisis pregnancy centers have to give patients.
June 21, 2018
The Female Mayor Who Doesn't Want to Talk About Being a Woman
At least she didn't used to. Now, she says, times have changed.
June 18, 2018
The Limits to Trump's Medicaid Freedom for States
The president promised to give states more flexibility on health care. His administration has -- but with some restrictions.
June 12, 2018
Amid Opioid Crisis, Drug Take-Backs Gain Popularity
A change in federal law lets more than just law enforcement agencies collect unused and unwanted pills.
June 8, 2018
Is Your City Helping You Be Healthy? The Rankings Are In.
"Your mayor, city council and city manager has just as much of an impact on your health as your doctor," say the authors of a new report.
June 4, 2018
'Medicaid-for-All' Rapidly Gains Interest in the States
More than a dozen states either have or are still considering the idea of letting people buy Medicaid -- regardless of how much money they make.
May 30, 2018
Virginia Just Voted to Expand Medicaid. These States Could Be Next.
The issue will likely be moving to the ballot box this November.
May 22, 2018
For Future Health Policies, Trump Administration Adds a Rural Focus
The federal government's new plan is short on details, but it makes one thing clear: It will ease regulations that burden rural providers -- many of whom are struggling to survive.
May 22, 2018
Her Accusations Ended His Political Career. Here's What She Wants You to Know Now.
"I have fantastic male colleagues who stood by me and defended me," says Colorado Rep. Faith Winter.
May 18, 2018
Trump's New Abortion Proposal Politicizes a Historically Bipartisan Program
Federal money already can't be spent on abortions. The Trump administration now wants to keep any funds from going to organizations that support the procedure.
May 9, 2018
As Other States Have Abandoned Efforts, New Jersey Passes Individual Mandate
Several states promised to pass their own mandates. Only one has. What happened?
May 8, 2018
How Women Can Win Their Races This Year
Gender equity advocates are excited about the prospect of a record number of women running for office. But Erin Vilardi, founder of VoteRunLead, says running isn't good enough.
May 7, 2018
States Want Control Over Drug Prices. Will the Feds Give It to Them?
In an attempt to lower health-care costs, Massachusetts is seeking to exclude certain drugs from its Medicaid program. It's a bold step, experts say, that will not only invite imitation but also lawsuits.
May 2, 2018
Loneliness May Be a Bigger Public Health Threat Than Smoking or Obesity
Governments are just starting to confront the issue.
May 1, 2018
Uber to the ER?
Ambulances are expensive. Some cities are beginning to offer other ways to get to the hospital.
April 26, 2018
The Opioid Crisis' Side Effect That Anyone Can Feel
Dirty needles left behind by drug users have become so prevalent in parks that some public health agencies are leaning on citizens to clean them up.
April 25, 2018
6 Months Since Trump Declared an Opioid Emergency, What's Changed?
Some health officials say nothing. Members of Congress, meanwhile, are taking matters of money for the drug crisis into their own hands.
April 24, 2018
She's a Social Worker First, Mayor Second
Rosalynn Bliss says social work keeps her grounded as a politician. That, and meditation.
April 16, 2018
Assisted Living: A $10 Billion Industry With Little Oversight
It’s largely up to states to regulate these facilities -- many of which don’t even employ full-time nurses.
April 12, 2018
Trump's New Obamacare Rules Give States More Power. Will They Take It?
The new rules are designed to reduce premiums, but health policy experts say they will have little effect.
April 10, 2018
The Woman Leading Hollywood's Prosecution of Powerful Men
Jackie Lacey says she didn't realize how tough she was until she ran for Los Angeles County District Attorney.
April 9, 2018
After Shootings and Hurricanes, Where Are the School Counselors?
With both kinds of traumatic events on the rise, school counselors can't keep up with the demand for mental health services.
April 5, 2018
Doctor-Assisted Suicide Now Legal in 6 States
At a time when the aid-in-dying movement is suffering elsewhere, Hawaii Gov. David Ige signed a bill on Thursday giving terminally ill residents the option.
April 3, 2018
Abortion Coverage? For Public Employees, It's Hard to Get.
With Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's signature on Tuesday, almost half the states now ban government workers' insurance from covering abortion services.
March 30, 2018
Republicans Lead Medicaid Expansion Push in 2 Holdout States
Utah and Virginia are both closer than ever to making more low-income people eligible for free or low-cost health care. What made them change their minds?
March 28, 2018
Despite Idaho's Failed Plan to Dodge Obamacare, Another State Tries
The Trump administration rejected Idaho's attempt to offer health insurance that doesn't follow Obamacare rules. Iowa thinks it has a new strategy that will win federal approval.
March 19, 2018
Can Taxing Pain Pills Alleviate the Opioid Epidemic?
President Trump will announce new plans for fighting the opioid crisis on Monday. Meanwhile, several states are exploring their own new policy: tax drug companies for the opioids they produce.
March 14, 2018
Where the Pay Gap Between Male and Female Doctors Is Biggest
On average, female doctors made $105,000 less than male doctors last year, and the gender pay gap actually increased.
March 13, 2018
Why Mississippi Might Want to Be Sued Over Abortion
When the governor signs what will be the nation's strictest abortion ban, lawsuits are expected. Some say that was the point.
March 9, 2018
Teen Suicide Rates Are Rising
The stats are most troubling in Utah and among boys, whose suicide rate had been on the decline for almost two decades.
March 8, 2018
Should Government Pay People to Make Good Decisions?
A health crisis in Alabama led officials to an unconventional solution: Hand out cash to change citizen behavior.
March 5, 2018
State Efforts to Bring Back Obamacare's Individual Mandate Stall
Despite early enthusiasm, even the most liberal states are struggling to get enough support to restore the health insurance requirement that Congress repealed in December.
March 1, 2018
Parkland's State Representative: Something Has to Happen
On the night of the mass shooting, Kristin Jacobs was in the room as parents received news about missing children. "If you were in that room," she says, "how could you let nothing happen?"
February 28, 2018
Trump Administration Can Revoke States' Right to Regulate Obamacare, But Will It?
The federal government's response to Idaho's unprecedented plan to ignore parts of the federal health law could have ripple effects throughout the country.
February 26, 2018
Months Late, Trump Administration Changes Family Planning Program's Priorities
Clinics and health departments won't get more Title X funding until months after last year's money will have expired, and organizations like Planned Parenthood have new reason to worry they might get less.
February 23, 2018
Bipartisan Group of Governors Outline Health Care Compromise, Again
They are calling on the Trump administration to, among other things, restore subsidy payments and support more state reinsurance programs.
February 21, 2018
What Will You Do to Fix Our Mental Health Care System?
That’s what many Iowans, home to the state with the fewest mental health beds, are asking candidates for governor.
February 19, 2018
Implementing States' Medicaid Wishes Won't Be Cheap
As the Trump administration lets states experiment with work requirements and other eligibility rules, the costs are adding up. Some policy experts worry they are "shifting spending from health care for needy families to administrative bureaucracy."
February 13, 2018
Other Lawmakers 'Would Say They Had Shoes Older Than Me'
Susana Mendoza was just 28 years old when she was first elected. Now she oversees how her former colleagues are spending their state's money.
February 9, 2018
Spending Deal Ends Uncertainty for Health Programs -- But at Cost to CDC
After a four-month standoff, and a brief shutdown on Friday, Congress will provide long-term relief to community health centers and programs that help at-risk parents and low-income families.
February 6, 2018
How Far Will the Right-to-Die Movement Go?
More states may legalize physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. But even where it is allowed, some doctors still refuse to offer it.
February 2, 2018
As Congress Stalls, Community Health Centers Face Closure or Cuts
The failure to pass a long-term federal budget is hurting clinics that largely serve low-income and rural areas. States aren't offering any relief.
January 30, 2018
How a Local Alabama Official Works to Empower the Poor
“I grew up believing that’s what you do, that when a problem arises it’s your civic duty to step in and fashion a solution for your community."
January 25, 2018
Are Work Requirements for Medicaid Doomed?
The first lawsuit fighting the Trump-approved policy was filed this week. If a court sides with opponents, work requirements could be dead before they even begin.
January 22, 2018
Shutdown and Children's Health Insurance Saga Come to an End
President Trump signed a short-term spending bill on Monday evening that ends the government shutdown and reauthorizes CHIP for six years.
January 16, 2018
'When You Fire Up a Black Woman, She Doesn't Go to the Polls Alone'
Activist Glynda Carr discusses the growing political power of black women.
January 12, 2018
Work Requirements May Be Just the Beginning of Medicaid Changes Under Trump
States have requested to enact several other unprecedented policies. Kentucky on Friday reportedly became the first to get its waiver approved.
January 11, 2018
4 Health Programs (Other Than CHIP) That Congress Has Left in Limbo
Programs that aid the opioid epidemic, medically underserved areas and at-risk mothers and children also have uncertain futures.
January 8, 2018
STD Rates Reach Record High
The rise of sexually transmitted diseases is challenging public health departments.
January 8, 2018
Drug Addicts Could Soon Get Their First Safe Haven in America
Supervised injection facilities, which only exist in other countries, encounter roadblocks everywhere they're proposed in the U.S. But as the opioid epidemic rages on, one might open this year.
January 1, 2018
In Cybersecurity Fight, Governments Leave Hospitals Behind
When hackers target hospitals, the consequences can be dire. Yet hospitals have little help preventing or responding to such attacks.
December 25, 2017
These Tourism Campaigns Will Make You Scratch Your Head -- or Plan a Visit
Some cities and states have to get creative to market themselves.
December 22, 2017
Maternity Wards Are Disappearing From Rural America
As rural hospitals struggle to keep their doors open, the high cost of ob-gyn wards makes them one of the first things cut.
December 18, 2017
Health Care News You May Have Missed in 2017
Although it seemed like it at times, Obamacare wasn't the only health policy up for debate this year.
December 12, 2017
Will 2018 Really Be a Big Year for Women in Politics? An Expert Weighs In.
Debbie Walsh says the wave of women elected this year is a sign of bigger things to come.
December 11, 2017
Spending Deal Offers Short-Term CHIP Relief, But Uncertainty Looms
The bill signed by President Trump helps states keep the Children's Health Insurance Program afloat, but it doesn't offer any reassurance that kids won't lose their health care in 2018.
December 4, 2017
Maine's Obamacare Vote Revives Expansion Debate in Some States
Last month's election has re-energized Obamacare advocates. Meanwhile in Maine, the matter is being complicated by Gov. Paul LePage, who has vowed not to implement an expansion until lawmakers show how they'll fund it.
November 21, 2017
The Women Leading the First Study of Diversity in State and Local Government
"Most local governments are run by white men, so there hasn’t needed to be a conversation about what diversity looks like."
November 17, 2017
Amid Opioid Crisis, States Start Embracing Alternative Medicine
Some aren’t just covering yoga and acupuncture but recommending it before prescription drugs.
November 17, 2017
As Congress Stalls on Children's Health Insurance, States Warn of Cuts
It's been almost two months since Congress let what's historically been a bipartisan program expire.
November 13, 2017
The Opioid Files: Hundreds of States and Cities Are Suing Drug Companies
Lawsuits are being filed practically every week. Will governments prevail over the pharmaceutical industry like they did the tobacco industry in the 1990s?
November 7, 2017
In Victory for Obamacare, Maine Voters Expand Medicaid
The vote signals support for the health-care law at a time when President Trump is taking major steps to reverse it.
November 7, 2017
Pharmaceutical Industry Scores Another Election Victory
A year after California voters rejected what would have been a first-of-its-kind state law to regulate drug prices, Ohioans did the same.
November 7, 2017
First She Was 'The Facebook Lady.' Now She's the Mayor.
Marian Orr, the first female mayor of Cheyenne, Wyo., exemplifies the power of social media.
November 3, 2017
How Tuesday's Elections Could Impact Health Care
Voters could alter the future of Medicaid, drug prices and abortion in their states.
October 27, 2017
Are Doctors Finally Ready for Data?
The medical field has been reluctant to adopt technology. There are reasons to believe that’s changing.
October 25, 2017
States Where Obamacare Premiums Are Increasing Most
Amid uncertainty over the law's future, premiums will rise an average of 34 percent next year. In a few states, though, they'll actually go down.
October 25, 2017
CHIP Isn't the Only Program for Children and Babies That Congress Let Expire
With future federal funding uncertain, states may freeze enrollment in a program that helps at-risk parents care for their newborns.
October 24, 2017
HHS Secretary or Not, Seema Verma Could Redefine Medicaid
She helped craft Mike Pence’s conservative approach to expanding Medicaid in Indiana. Now, the CMS administrator is one of President Trump's top contenders to replace Tom Price.
October 18, 2017
Maine's Medicaid Vote a Test of Obamacare Support
If passed, the state would become the 33rd to expand Medicaid and signal support for Obamacare at a time when President Trump is taking major steps to reverse it.
October 17, 2017
Chris Gregoire on the "Bloodsport" of Politics
In a new podcast interview, the former two-term Washington governor says the lack of women in public office is her "biggest pet peeve."
October 13, 2017
Despite Trump's Health-Care Changes, He's Keeping Obama's Opioid Strategy
With no end to the epidemic in sight, the feds are helping some states treat more addicts.
October 9, 2017
California Leads Push to Lower Drug Prices
The state passed the nation's most comprehensive law to make drug prices more transparent. It has also inspired other states to take on the pharmaceutical companies in November.
October 3, 2017
Las Vegas Shooting Strains Nevada's Doctor Shortage, Prompts Medical Emergency
The state has one of the lowest resident-to-physician ratios in the country, which puts it in a uniquely vulnerable position to respond to large-scale emergencies.
October 3, 2017
For This Politician, Poverty Is Personal
Kanika Tomalin's roots help her understand economic issues better than your average public official.
October 2, 2017
Want to Climb the Corporate Ladder? Some Say Work in Government First.
Jane Swift, former governor of Massachusetts, believes having public-sector experience is the quickest way to get ahead in the private sector -- especially for women.
September 29, 2017
Congress Lets CHIP Expire, and States Scramble
Some states are already preparing to freeze enrollment or cut off children's health insurance as they face the near possibility of running out of money for the program.
September 28, 2017
The Return of the Doctor House Call
The once-antiquated practice is making a comeback -- and saving states money. But it's not without hurdles.
September 19, 2017
Attica Scott Is Tired of Being the 'Angry Black Woman'
The first black woman elected to the Kentucky state House in almost 20 years says she gets the label sometimes for simply speaking her mind.
September 15, 2017
5 Obamacare Changes States Want, Ranked From Most to Least Likely to Pass
Although many governors oppose the latest repeal bill, it has some of what they've asked for.
September 13, 2017
States With the Highest and Lowest Uninsured Rates
Obamacare's fate remains unknown, but at least one thing is certain: The law has led to a record number of people having health insurance.
September 7, 2017
How Much Health-Care Freedom Should Trump Give States?
More flexibility could make it easier to adopt industry-backed reforms. It could also let conservatives enact policies that Obama rejected.
August 31, 2017
Governors Offer Their Plan to Fix Obamacare. Will Congress Listen?
Kasich and Hickenlooper released a bipartisan set of recommendations on Thursday, but observers predict their influence will only go so far.
August 29, 2017
New Federal Tampons Rule Follows States and Cities' Flow
A federal memo calls for feminine hygiene products to be free for inmates, energizing a movement that began in state prisons and local jails.
August 24, 2017
The City Councils Where Women Are Least Represented
New York City prides itself on being the epicenter of progressive politics -- and yet, it has one of the nation's worst gender gaps in city politics.
August 21, 2017
Rural America Gets Creative to Attract Much-Needed Doctors
"Training in 'the sticks,' sticks," says one medical professional. But first, rural areas have to get doctors there.
August 16, 2017
For the Future of Anti-Abortion Laws, Look to Missouri
Health policy experts say other conservative states often follow Missouri's lead on abortion measures. This year, the state passed several never-before-seen regulations.
August 14, 2017
What Does the National Opioid Emergency Mean for States and Cities?
There are still some major unanswered questions about Trump's declaration.
August 8, 2017
As Health Departments Expand Their Role, Can They Keep Up With Basic Services?
The conflicts playing out in one North Carolina county could be plaguing other places.
August 4, 2017
How Health Policy Experts Would Fix Obamacare
And what they want states to do while Congress tries.
July 31, 2017
Is America Talking About Opioids the Wrong Way?
The current drug crisis is different from previous ones. Some say it requires a new mode of thinking.
July 26, 2017
Trump Administration Pulls Cities' Funding for Obamacare Enrollment
Health policy experts say the move could further destabilize the market.
July 24, 2017
Talking Politics With an Expert on Women in Politics
Jennifer Lawless is optimistic about the wave of women thinking about running for office -- but only tepidly.
July 16, 2017
White House Lobbies Governors on Latest Health Bill, But They're Not Buying It
The Trump administration's attempt this weekend to win their support didn't go as planned.
July 11, 2017
As Demand for At-Home Care Grows, States Debate How to Pay for It
Most states can't meet baby boomers' demand for staying out of nursing homes.
July 10, 2017
The Tragic Struggle to Prevent Infant Mortality
Even in cities that have tried to address the problem, babies are still dying at high rates for a developed nation.
July 10, 2017
28 and Mayor of Her Hometown
Blair Milo is used to being underestimated because of her age and gender. She doesn't let it stop her from running a city.
July 3, 2017
As the Drug That Reverses Opioid Overdoses Gets More Expensive, Can Cities Afford It?
Baltimore is already rationing its use.
June 26, 2017
Rachel Levine on Being a Transgender Public Official in America
There are certainly challenges, says Pennsylvania's physician general, but "eventually people will just judge us based off our qualifications and the work we do."
June 19, 2017
After Passing Several Innovative Health Policies, Nevada Reaches Its Limit: Medicaid for All
While Congress is gridlocked on health care, the state's GOP governor and Democratic legislature have been busy finding common ground -- til now.
June 19, 2017
The Woman Who's Paid to Talk Trash
As public works director for Phoenix, Ginger Spencer is trying to make her city the most sustainable in the world.
June 12, 2017
Can States Do Anything to Keep Health Insurers From Leaving?
Ohio and Missouri now have dozens of counties without an insurer. Other states are trying to prevent a similar situation, but their actions can only go so far.
June 5, 2017
The Marketing Strategy for Unhealthy Products: Racially Profile
Tobacco and soda companies disproportionately target minority citizens and lawmakers with advertising and lobbying. One city is fed up.
June 1, 2017
When the School Nurse Is on a Screen Instead of in an Office
Some schools are using telemedicine to provide health care to students in underserved districts. But few think it’s a cure for their ailments.
May 25, 2017
How Trump's Health Budget Would Impact States
Medicaid, children's health insurance and chronic disease programs would be first to feel the weight of the president's proposals.
May 17, 2017
On Rx Drug Monitoring, States Take Doctors' Recommendations
Every state but one has a tracking system to combat the opioid epidemic. They have long been criticized as difficult to use, but upgrades are on their way.
May 15, 2017
6 States Hoping to Revamp Medicaid in the Trump Era
The Obama administration rejected many conservative politicians' attempts to alter the health-care program for the poor. With Trump in the White House, they may finally get their way.
May 15, 2017
The Woman in Charge of the World's 6th Largest Economy
Betty Yee has no small task.
May 12, 2017
Houston Steers Cities Into Reducing 'Red Lights and Sirens'
Most 911 calls don't actually require a trip to the hospital. Instead, telemedicine can do the trick, and Houston's system is catching on among the country's paramedics.
May 8, 2017
Can Raising the Minimum Wage Cut Medicaid Costs?
Pennsylvania's governor is using that logic to persuade lawmakers to adopt the nation's highest minimum wage. Not everyone is convinced.
May 2, 2017
From 'Sidewalk Lady' to America's First Latina Lt. Governor
Evelyn Sanguinetti's career in politics all started with a bad fall.
May 1, 2017
Alaska's Plan for Lowering Obamacare Premiums Spreads to the Mainland
The idea will likely attract more attention if the Trump administration agrees to fund it.
May 1, 2017
A Look Back on Obamacare With the People Who Implemented It
Politicians and health-care leaders were asked what they learned while carrying out one of the industry's biggest overhauls.
May 1, 2017
Why Texas Is the Most Dangerous U.S. State to Have a Baby
Maternal mortality rates have been increasing throughout the nation. But if Texas was a country, it would have the highest in the developed world.
April 20, 2017
Feds Help Localities Discover Where HIV and Housing Intersect
People who have HIV and lack stable housing are less likely to get the care they need. Some places are trying to solve both problems at once.
April 17, 2017
The Woman Who Pushed Boston to Be a Leader in Paid Family Leave
As the city's council president, Michelle Wu has shattered several glass ceilings.
April 14, 2017
In Defunding Planned Parenthood, States Don't Always Follow Party Lines
President Trump and congressional Republicans want to strip federal funding from clinics that provide abortions. But not every GOP governor will help.
April 14, 2017
As Local Food Movement Grows, Who's Policing the Produce?
Many cities and states have made commitments to support and promote farm-to-table food. But few have fraud protections in place to make sure people are eating truly "local."
April 3, 2017
The First -- and Still Only -- African-American Elected to a County Office in Minnesota
Since taking office more than a decade ago, Toni Carter has made her mark on Ramsey County.
March 29, 2017
Failed Health Bill Fuels New Momentum for Expanding Medicaid
In the days since Republicans killed their health-care plan, support for one of Obamacare's central policies has grown in states where the GOP has stunted it for years.
March 22, 2017
The Future of Health Care Is Outside the Doctor's Office
States are increasingly investing in community health workers to improve their residents' health.
March 20, 2017
Coming Soon to America: Places for Addicts to Safely Shoot Up
As the opioid epidemic rages on, public officials are being forced to consider controversial ways to curb it. In Seattle, that means opening the nation's first supervised injection facility.
March 20, 2017
'Public Health Saved Your Life Today. You Just Didn’t Know It.'
That's the mantra of Dr. Leana Wen, the health commissioner of Baltimore and our guest for the latest episode of "The 23%: Conversations With Women in Government."
March 17, 2017
Syphilis Rate Among Newborns Reaches Highest Level in Years
The disease was nearly eradicated around 2000 but has been on the rise since 2012. Health officials partially blame the opioid epidemic.
March 9, 2017
GOP Governors Are Unimpressed With GOP Health-Care Plan
From blunt criticism to cautious optimism, not a single governor has given the House bill a full-throated endorsement.
March 6, 2017
The GOP Wants to Give States More Medicaid Power. This Is What They May Do With It.
Seven health-care policies you could see more of if the Affordable Care Act is replaced.
March 3, 2017
Why Feds Withhold Money From the Most Vulnerable Hospitals
The places that treat the poorest and sickest often fail to meet safety standards. Some say the penalties need to be adjusted.
March 1, 2017
NEW PODCAST: The 23%: Conversations With Women in Government
For our first episode, we talked to someone who mixes politics with reality TV. And, no, it isn't Donald Trump. Listen now.
February 21, 2017
How Some Places Are Easing the Often-Fatal Transition From a Psych Ward
People with mental illness are far more likely to commit suicide in the months after a hospital stay.
February 21, 2017
Has Expanding Medicaid Made People Healthier?
The research is exhaustive and yet simultaneously scarce. In some cases, it's even contradictory.
February 10, 2017
A Bipartisan Model for Lowering Obamacare Premiums?
Some policy experts think Minnesota has one, but it could be a tough sell for lawmakers in other states.
February 8, 2017
Universal Pre-K Is Hard to Find and Harder to Fund
The states and cities expanding early education have wrestled with the question of what qualifies as "universal."
February 6, 2017
Amid Obamacare and Planned Parenthood Uncertainty, Some States Scramble to Protect Women's Health
Democratic lawmakers are trying to make sure women have affordable access to birth control and abortion -- regardless of what Congress and the Trump administration does.
January 25, 2017
Should Religious Leaders Help Close Mental Health Care's Gap?
Particularly in rural areas, governments are increasingly turning to them to ease the shortage of providers, blurring the line between religion and medicine.
January 23, 2017
State Budgets Aren't Accounting for Obamacare Repeal
In planning their finances for the year, governors are counting on health care to remain the same. But if it doesn't, states could suddenly be on the hook for billions of dollars.
January 13, 2017
Where GOP Governors Stand on 'Repeal and Replace'
The Obamacare debate puts them in a tough spot and for many, up against their Republican counterparts in Congress.
January 13, 2017
More Than a Haircut: Barbershops Are Hubs for Social Change
Governments and nonprofits are increasingly looking to neighborhood barbers and hairdressers to help with problems at home and narrow gaps in education and health care.
January 11, 2017
The Walking Cure: How Oklahoma City Lost 1 Million Pounds
Pedestrian-friendly cities are healthier cities, which is why many are making it easier for residents to ditch their cars.
January 9, 2017
For the Poorest and Sickest, Librarians Often Play Doctor
Libraries are frequently forced to deal with people's health problems. That's why some are adding medical professionals to their staff.
December 20, 2016
Obama's Protection Does Little to Ease Women's Health Fears
Like much of the president's policies, his most recent rule on funding for abortion providers may not matter once Donald Trump takes the White House.
December 15, 2016
Without Michelle Obama, What Will Happen to 'Let's Move'?
The first lady's signature initiative helped more than 500 municipalities address obesity. Now that she's leaving the White House, the future of the program is uncertain.
December 6, 2016
Vermont Takes a Health Risk That Many States Abandoned
When states tried the all-payer model decades ago, it largely didn't live up to its cost-cutting goals. But Vermont is taking a slightly different approach.
December 1, 2016
Amid Opioid Crisis, Needle Exchanges Are Losing Their Stigma
The idea that needle exchanges encourage illegal drug use is fading just as rapidly as the programs are expanding.
November 30, 2016
To Reduce Infant Mortality, U.S. Cities Adopt the Finland Way
Unlike America, which has one of the highest infant mortality rates of developed countries, Finland has one of the world's lowest.
November 22, 2016
Electronic Health Reforms Left Babies Behind
With most newborn screenings still done on paper, there’s a born-again push to improve and speed up the process for detecting health problems.
November 18, 2016
Why So Few Kids Are Getting the HPV Vaccine
"Most places don’t like to think about teens having sex." But that's not the only reason.
November 15, 2016
In States Now Under GOP Control, What's Next for Health Care?
Republicans gained power in several states last week, clearing the way for some to more easily restrict abortion and roll back other reforms.
November 9, 2016
Marijuana Legalized for Fun in 4 More States and Medicine in 4 Others
Only one state's voters rejected easing access to the drug.
November 9, 2016
Single-Payer Health Care Takes a Big Hit at the Ballot
Despite Bernie Sanders' campaigning, Colorado voters overwhelmingly rejected plans to make their state the first in America to create a universal health-care system.
November 9, 2016
Drug Companies Score a Big Election Victory
The industry spent millions of dollars to keep voters in California from passing a first-in-nation law that was meant to cut the soaring cost of prescription drugs.
November 9, 2016
Voters Just Say No to Higher Cigarette Taxes in All But 1 State
Californians were the only to agree to raise the price of tobacco. Will it impact smoking rates?
November 9, 2016
Condoms-in-Porn Rule Dies at the Ballot Box
It's a win for the porn industry and the state of California, which stood to lose millions of dollars if the measure passed.
November 8, 2016
Colorado Strengthens Physician-Assisted Suicide Movement
The right to die has been slow to gain momentum, especially among voters. In Colorado, they defied the odds.
November 1, 2016
Obamacare Premium Hikes to Hit Rural Americans the Hardest
Within states, rural areas often face higher premiums than their urban counterparts. Yet two of the most rural states saw some of the lowest premium increases this year.
October 25, 2016
Why's It So Hard to Connect Health to Social Factors?
One of the goals of President Obama's signature health reform is to focus more on population health, but the programs are off to a slow start.
October 12, 2016
Tennessee’s Free College Program Is Popular, But Will It Succeed?
As states consider following Tennessee’s footsteps, they’ll be closely watching its experience.
October 11, 2016
On Medicaid, States Won't Take Feds' No for an Answer
Even though the federal government has repeatedly rejected certain health-care requests, many Republican-led states keep asking for them.
September 28, 2016
Rural America Finally Gets Mental Health Help
People in remote areas have long lacked access to mental health services. The movement to fix that is showing signs of life.
September 27, 2016
A New Kind of Paramedic for Less Urgent 911 Calls
Community paramedicine, which can drastically reduce unnecessary ER visits, could be the future of emergency care.
September 14, 2016
Does Starting School After Labor Day Help or Hurt Students?
Extending summer break may be good for the economy, but there are unintended consequences.
September 13, 2016
States With the Highest (and Lowest) Uninsured Rates
The rates range from 2.8 percent to 17.1 percent.
September 6, 2016
Why Health-Care Monopolies Shouldn't Worry Most Consumers
More than 30 percent of the country, up from 4 percent last year, could have just one carrier to choose from this fall.
August 29, 2016
Fighting Zika, Keeping 4 Million People Healthy and Telling Public Health's 'Story'
A Q&A with Umair Shah, director of one of the nation's biggest public health departments.
August 29, 2016
Pregnant in Prison? Some States Deliver Doulas
In a small but growing number of states, expectant inmates are getting help dealing with the trauma of giving birth and then having to say goodbye.
August 23, 2016
Meningitis Outbreaks Among Gay Men Baffle Health Officials
Officials don't know why the disease is disproportionately impacting gay men in big cities. They're getting the CDC involved to find out.
August 17, 2016
Puerto Rico's Rescue Plan Represents a Troublesome Trend, Economists Say
It's the latest government to rewrite the rules for getting out of fiscal distress.
August 16, 2016
Is Abstinence-Only Sex Ed on the Rise?
More states are rejecting federal funding for evidence-based sex education. That could mean a return of abstinence-only instruction in many schools.
August 15, 2016
A Blueprint for Merging Health and Housing Under One Roof
Boulder County, Colo., pioneered the movement. What can others learn from their experience?
August 9, 2016
Some States Spend Big to Attract Medical Tourists
Lawmakers are pouring millions of dollars into making their states a destination for patients around the world. Will their investments pay off?
August 2, 2016
Your Peer Will See You Now: A New Kind of Mental Health Care
States are increasingly pairing mental health and substance abuse patients with peer specialists -- people who have experienced some of the same problems themselves.
July 29, 2016
New Zika Cases Show U.S. Cities' Struggle Without Federal Funding
After Congress left cities to fend for themselves, four new cases -- possibly the first to be contracted by mosquitoes in the U.S. -- suggest how difficult it is for them to combat the virus on their own.
July 26, 2016
With Hospitals in Critical Condition, Can Rural America Survive?
The worrisome state of rural health care has led many to wonder.
July 19, 2016
Obamacare-Created Insurers Take the Feds to Court
In an effort to survive, several of the remaining health co-ops are fighting the landmark law. Unlike most legal challenges to it, they may actually have a case.
July 13, 2016
A Broader View of Public Health
Baltimore is at the forefront of a movement to expand public health's arena to include social ills such as gun violence and drug addiction.
July 12, 2016
Surprise! Emergency Care Isn't Always What It Seems
Freestanding ERs have been around for years. But only recently have they become profit-focused, deceptive places of care.
July 5, 2016
21 States Aren't Taking Proven Steps to Prevent Overdoses
New studies show that the main weapon against opioid overdoses is showing promise, but states could be doing more to save lives.
June 30, 2016
How Jails Are Violating the Law
Most corrections facilities detain mentally ill people instead of providing them with timely care.
June 27, 2016
5 States Where the Abortion Ruling Could Spur More Lawsuits
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down abortion restrictions in Texas on Monday, making it likely that other states will see challenges to their own reproductive laws.
June 23, 2016
Congress Refuses, So California Will Study Gun Violence
In the wake of another mass shooting and amid congressional inaction on gun control, the state has announced plans to open the nation's first public research center dedicated to firearm violence.
June 21, 2016
California's Dream of Expanding Health Care to All Immigrants
If California soon becomes the first state to let undocumented immigrants use the health insurance marketplace, will others follow?
June 10, 2016
Medicaid Expansion Can Have Impacts Beyond State Borders
One state's rejection of Medicaid expansion can hurt health-care systems in another state, according to a new study.
June 7, 2016
Air Ambulances, an Unregulated Lifeline, Cost $80,000 for Some Patients
Federal law bans states from regulating air ambulance companies, leaving patients with exorbitant out-of-pocket medical bills.
June 3, 2016
Forget the Sunscreen? It's Free Now in Some Cities.
From coast to coast, governments are teaming up with nonprofits to fight one of the most common yet most preventable kinds of cancer.
May 26, 2016
Study Could Boost Fizzled Efforts to Tax Soda
Despite many failed attempts, only one city in America taxes sugary drinks. The results of a new study might change that.
May 23, 2016
Black, Gay and HIV Positive: A Long-Neglected Group
Alarming infection rates bring more attention to treatment in communities of color.
May 17, 2016
In Abortion Wars, the Opposition May Have New Tactics
Anti-abortion advocates have allegedly found stealthier ways to shut down clinics.
May 10, 2016
How California Keeps Health Premiums Down Like No Other State
Shrinking competition has many states worried about rising insurance prices. California has the tools to handle it better than most.
May 3, 2016
UnitedHealthcare's Exit Leaves Monopolies in Many Places
Less competition typically means higher prices for consumers. But that isn’t necessarily true in the case of health insurance exchanges.
May 2, 2016
New Rules Could Ease Rural America's Health-Care Problems
A sweeping Medicaid change has the potential for states to address the dangerous shortage of doctors outside urban and suburban areas.
April 26, 2016
Congressional Inaction Hinders Public Health Fight Against Zika
With more cases cropping up by the day, local governments have to act quickly -- and without help from the federal government.
April 25, 2016
Making a Drug More Available to Save Addicts' Lives
There's a growing movement to make the drug that can reverse overdoses widely available at pharmacies, police departments and schools.
April 20, 2016
Maryland Governor Opens Up About His Battle With Cancer
The governor talks about what it's like to juggle chemotherapy with the business of running a state.
April 19, 2016
Long-Term Care Facilities Lack Oversight, Advocates Say
Assisted living facilities have become more popular in recent years, but abundant closures and lax state regulations have led to more calls for new regulations.
April 12, 2016
New Obamacare Program May Make Medical Homes More Common
The model of care is proven to improve health outcomes and save billions of dollars, but it hasn't been widely embraced. A new initiative could change that.
April 5, 2016
Change in Tribal Health Care Relieves States' Financial Burden
The federal government is changing the way it reimburses states for Native Americans' health care. The implications could be big -- and not just for Native Americans.
April 1, 2016
Governments Struggle to Root Out Fake Minority Contractors
States and cities want to support women- and minority-owned businesses. But they often don’t know who they’re really paying.
March 31, 2016
Obama Finalizes New Mental Health Rules for Medicaid
The new rules could create an influx of patients with mental health and substance abuse issues in states that are already struggling to meet the current demand.
March 15, 2016
Undeterred by Failure, GOP States Still Fighting Obamacare
States are spending millions fighting the law that courts uphold almost every time.
March 15, 2016
Why Thousands of Doctors Still Don't Use Electronic Records
With federal incentives to go electronic expiring this year, many wonder what can be done to reach physicians who still rely on paper.
March 14, 2016
Puerto Rico’s Health-Care Crisis Threatens the Mainland
Puerto Rican immigrants -- many of them sick and in need of care -- are flocking to the states in unprecedented numbers. New York has volunteered to help the island, but it may not be able to.
March 10, 2016
Federal GMO Labeling Bill Would Trump State Laws
The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act is just a Senate vote away from the president's desk.
March 8, 2016
Have States Found a Middle Ground on Reproductive Rights?
There's a growing movement -- even in some conservative states with strict abortion regulations -- to make birth control more accessible.
March 1, 2016
Alzheimer's Care Struggles to Meet Demands
States are starting to consider the problems with Alzheimer's care more seriously. But they have a long way to go.
February 25, 2016
Battling the Blues in Rural America
Like most rural areas, Alaska suffers from high rates of mental illness and a deficiency of mental health providers. The state may have a solution.
February 24, 2016
Amid TB Outbreak, Alabama Pays Resisters to Get Tested
When people refused -- sometimes violently -- to help health officials contain an outbreak of tuberculosis in rural Alabama, the state resorted to paying people to get tested. Did it work?
February 22, 2016
Obama Rejects Governors' Pleas to Limit Painkillers
In their meeting with the president Monday, a bipartisan group of governors sought his help in their fight against prescription drug abuse.
February 16, 2016
The Imminent Death of Smoking in Public Housing
The federal government wants to ban smoking in public housing nationwide. It could save millions of dollars, but that doesn't allay some cities' concerns.
February 16, 2016
Telemedicine Advances Faster Than States Can Keep Up
The explosion of online health-care apps and providers has forced states to face tough questions -- many of which they have yet to find an answer to.
February 12, 2016
The Latest Tax Battle in States Is Over Tampons
Bills to make feminine hygiene products tax-exempt have been introduced in several states this year. So far, the legislation has already failed in one.
February 4, 2016
Simple Steps Should Stop Zika From Spreading in the U.S.
As fears of the virus rise in America, public health departments are ramping up their efforts to educate the public and eradicate the mosquitoes that spread it.
February 2, 2016
In Sex Education, U.S. Schools Are Failing
Most schools aren't meeting the CDC's recommendations for teaching students about sex, and the curriculum is far worse in some states.
January 22, 2016
Bernie Sanders Wants the Health Plan His Own State Rejected
The presidential candidate wants America to create a single-payer health system -- something no U.S. state has done before.
January 19, 2016
5 States Shaking Up Health Care in 2016
They're either debating or have already made big changes to their health-care programs for the poor.
January 14, 2016
A More Personalized Approach to Reducing Infant Mortality
Facing one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country, Columbus, Ohio, is taking the time to understand its unique causes.
January 11, 2016
Addicted and Pregnant: How States Deal With Drug Problems When You're Expecting
Roughly 1 in 20 pregnant women use illicit drugs. States are cracking down on the problem with starkly different approaches.
January 5, 2016
Unlike Zoos, Public Health Departments Don't Need National Accreditation
But at least one state is leading the charge to change that.
December 24, 2015
Not-So-Happy Holidays in the Emergency Room
There are a number of reasons emergency rooms get chaotic around the holidays -- some of which may be surprising.
December 15, 2015
Haircuts and Health Care: How Governments Try to Get the Uninsured Covered
States and cities spent this enrollment season finding creative ways to reach the millions who still have no health insurance.
December 7, 2015
Why Abortion Clinics Are Also Closing in Blue States
Planned Parenthood gets most of the attention in the abortion debate. But independent clinics and their employees actually provide the majority of abortions in America -- and are more at-risk.
December 2, 2015
The Nation's First Firehouse Where People Can Get Flu Shots
Reflecting a broader trend of merging health care with other services, a city in California recently opened a clinic next to a firehouse.
December 1, 2015
Anti-Obamacare South Warms to Medicaid Expansion
Most Southern states have refused for years to make more people eligible for government health care. But a few governors may change that.
November 19, 2015
In 35 States, Young People Are Dying From Drug Overdoses at Double the Rate
The rate has increased in every state in the last decade, yet few are doing much to prevent it.
November 17, 2015
Will Ferguson Redefine Public Health?
To address the underlying issues that led to the unrest in Ferguson, Mo., local leaders are expanding the traditional role of public health departments.
November 17, 2015
To Many's Surprise, Obamacare Barely Budged ER Wait Times
Critics and supporters predicted that the federal health law would have a huge impact on the time it takes to see a doctor. Turns out they were both wrong.
November 12, 2015
In Rare Move, a U.S. State Comes to Puerto Rico's Aid
Facing a health-care crisis on top of financial troubles, Puerto Rico is getting help from the mainland. But why would New York come to Puerto Rico's rescue?
November 4, 2015
In School Funding Fight, Voters Choose to Do Nothing
Mississippi voters, facing two competing (and confusing) ballot questions on school quality, chose to make no changes to the state constitution.
November 3, 2015
Why Health Insurers Are Closing in So Many States
Co-ops were created to keep the cost of insurance down on Obamacare marketplaces. Now half of them are going out of business.
October 23, 2015
Parents Fill Public Health Gaps in Schools
In a county with more than 50 districts, schools are putting parents in charge of tackling problems that may have otherwise been ignored. It may be a model for other municipalities.
October 20, 2015
Let's Talk About Sex ... and Senior Citizens
As STD rates rise among the elderly, health-care providers and public health departments continue to shy away from discussing their sexual health. Is it time for a sexual revolution?
October 9, 2015
NYC Gets Personal (and Particular) About Birth Control
It's the first municipality to center an awareness campaign around intrauterine devices, the most effective form of birth control that few women choose. Will others follow?
October 6, 2015
Medicaid Has Great Responsibility Without Great Power
Since its inception 50 years ago, Medicaid has become one of the nation's biggest government programs. But most states don't treat it as such.
September 28, 2015
Coding Countdown Causes Medical Mayhem
After a two-year delay, U.S. hospitals have to start using a new coding system in October -- a move that could hurt rural and smaller hospitals particularly hard.
September 22, 2015
Obesity Rates Stop Increasing But Still Worrisome
More than 20 percent of people in every state are obese, with the rate exceeding 35 percent in three states.
September 18, 2015
Government Finds a New Business to Regulate: Exercise
Several places, including the nation's fittest city, want to regulate personal trainers. Is the new push about safety or boosting public revenue?
September 16, 2015
The 5 States With the Biggest Drop in Uninsured Rates
They all have at least one thing in common.